Photo By Kaylie Crews | Group photo at 2A Career Field Working Group Kick-Off Event.... read more read more
Subscribe
The future of the Air Force Aircraft Maintenance Career Fields is being shaped not by senior leaders in Pentagon conference rooms, but by the hands of the very Airmen who keep our aircraft flying. During the first week of August, the Air Force Director of Logistics, Maj. Gen. Elizabeth Arledge, held a week-long kick-off in Washington to bring together over 100 maintainers to directly influence the development of the new 2A Career Field Strategy.
This event was not just another briefing; it was a dynamic, collaborative engagement where Airmen shared their expertise, identified challenges, and shaped the solutions that will redefine the Air Force 2A Career Fields. Arledge kicked off the event in Airmen’s and Guardian’s Hall at the Pentagon and said, “Tackling the challenges facing the 2A career fields is a monumental task. That is why your presence here is so invaluable. Your input is the driving force behind this effort, and it is what will ensure our strategy is effective and responsive to the needs of our maintainers.”
The 2A Career Field Strategy is a critical modernization and optimization effort that addresses the evolving needs of the Air Force to prepare for a future high-end fight. The current system is built on legacy structures that limit talent management flexibility and interoperability. Additionally, the Air Force faces challenges such as low first-term Airmen retention rates and the growing demands of aging aircraft that are only amplified by the current structure.
After extensive research and considerations from Airmen’s feedback, the 2A Career Field Managers and MAJCOM Functional Managers released the initial framework for the 2A Career Field Strategy in January 2025. The new initiative strives to transition the 2A Career Field into a more adaptable, cross-functional model that broadens early-career skills while preserving deep, platform-specific expertise at the correct levels.
The 2A CFM Team recognized that the success of the 2A Career Field Strategy depends on the support and approval of those most affected, which is why maintainer input is crucial and placed at the forefront. Over the next year, subject matter experts from across the maintenance career fields will collaborate in 11 working groups to build, refine, and validate the framework that will drive a comprehensive strategy. The first round of working groups attracted significant interest. Career field leaders selected 101 participants out of over 1,000 volunteers, ensuring representation across various skillsets and experiences.
Brig. Gen. Anthony Babcock, Director of Logistics, Engineering and Force Protection, Headquarters Air Mobility Command, spoke to the maintainers during the event about how their participation in forming the strategy is critical. He noted that the Air Force needs maintainers to come up with the right way forward.
In a video message shared at the event, Chief Master Sergeant of the Air Force David Flosi expressed his excitement and support for the initiative. He praised the process and highlighted the importance that this strategy is being built by the experts themselves and not driven from the top. Additionally, he emphasized the initiative's mission-focused and enterprise-wide approach to building a resilient and agile force, stating that it sets a model for the entire Air Force.
The initial event was focused on the first four of 11 priority working groups that address the most foundational issues critical to the new force design. These working groups are 2A Technical Track, Generalist Track, Manpower, and Workforce Management. The maintainers developed the foundation of the strategy by scoping key decisions, identifying capability gaps, and sharing their own frontline insights.
In a follow-on phase planned for next year, additional working groups will build on the groundwork established during the initial kick-off event, turning their attention to other high-priority aspects of the career field. Sequencing the effort this way allows leadership to focus resources on the decisions with the greatest near-term impact, incorporate lessons learned from each phase, and adjust the roadmap as operational demands evolve.
The week-long event proved successful, giving enlisted maintainers from a wide range of grades and specialties a forum to share their insights. In a post-event survey, the majority of respondents rated the event as “exceptional.”
The 2A Enlisted Force Development Team expressed excitement over the week's accomplishments and reiterated their commitment to empower maintainers at all levels to drive this effort forward. The entire team noted that the kickoff event provided a tremendous foundation for the future, and they are all looking forward to seeing what else will be accomplished.
This event marks the launch of a revitalized 2A Aircraft Maintenance Career Field. With the groundwork laid, the Air Force will continue refining the strategy and transforming its maintenance capabilities to meet future challenges. This strategy is more than a modernization effort; it is a testament to the belief that the best outcomes are developed by those most impacted. As the remaining working groups convene and build upon this initial success, the finalized 2A Career Field Strategy will lead to a more optimized, agile, and empowered Maintenance Force.
| Date Taken: | 09.04.2025 |
| Date Posted: | 09.04.2025 08:00 |
| Story ID: | 547188 |
| Location: | US |
| Web Views: | 909 |
| Downloads: | 0 |
This work, Aircraft Maintainers Drive the Future: Air Force Director of Logistics Empowers Airmen in 2A Career Field Transformation, by Kaylie Crews, identified by DVIDS, must comply with the restrictions shown on https://www.dvidshub.net/about/copyright.
Logistics
